Accreditation from a third-party agency is required for law schools in many places, with the American Bar Association (ABA) being the most well-known accreditor in the US. Graduates of non-ABA-accredited law schools may face challenges in practicing law, and online law schools are not currently accredited by the ABA.
An accredited law school is a law school that has received accreditation from a third-party accrediting agency. In many places, only individuals who have completed a law degree from an accredited law school are eligible to take the bar exam or practice law. In some places, a law school must be accredited by a specific accreditor in order for its students to practice law. In the United States as of 2011, nearly all states require state bar exam candidates to have completed a law degree accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Accreditation of schools is typically a matter of a school undergoing rigorous investigation by an external accrediting agency. The school will be judged on the quality of its educational offerings, as well as its infrastructure and administration. While accreditation is an important step in establishing a school’s credibility, there are numerous accreditors with different standards operating in the educational field. Employers, schools, and government agencies are free to choose the types of accreditation they will recognize when considering an individual’s educational credentials. Law schools in the United States may be accredited by one of several bodies, but this does not mean that bar associations or the legal profession recognize these accreditations as adequate confirmation of the school’s quality.
In addition to various types of general accreditation, many professions and trades look to specialized accreditation programs sponsored by prominent professional and professional organizations as a way to ensure that a school’s offerings are in line with accepted practices by that profession or trade. Agencies that license people for trades or professions may require them to hold a degree or diploma from the school that has the specialized accreditation. The American Bar Association is the most well-known professional organization for attorneys in the United States and operates its own accreditation program. All states, with the exception of California, require candidates for the bar exam to graduate from an ABA-accredited law school.
As a result of this policy, a graduate of a non-ABA-accredited law school is at a significant disadvantage if they eventually want to practice law. If he lives in California he can sit at the bar and if he passes he can get his license. After practicing for several years, he may be eligible to take the bar exam in another state. Otherwise, his only options are to choose a career path that does not require a legal license or to complete an ABA-accredited degree. This poses a challenge for those who want to attend online law schools, as the ABA does not accredit juris doctor programs, although it does accredit online master’s programs. Until the ABA begins accrediting online law schools, those looking to maximize their career potential may want to forgo online law education and choose a traditional ABA-accredited law school.
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